We could use a little creative stimulation every once in a while, and there's no need to be embarrassed about that. Upon being questioned whether the Strokes' "Last Nite" took off Tom Petty's "American Girl," the band's iconic leader, Julian Casablancas, said bluntly, "Yeah, we stole it off. What have you been up to?"

Even though a carefree approach to intellectual property theft is ingrained in the fabric of rock and roll, banner maker have no choice but to adhere to the standards of conduct in digital marketing. In light of this, while you go through this collection of excellent examples of banner ads, marketers ask that you kindly avoid adopting a Casablanca approach. Discovering new sources of motivation is one thing, but stealing ideas is quite another.

If copying someone else's work was legal, you wouldn't use this banner advertisement as a model. Each banner ad sample is accompanied by a brief analysis of its most vital points. There are recurring ideas such as the necessity to dispel skepticism and the persuasive potential of side-by-side comparisons.

Let's get to it!

Here are a few examples of banner advertisements from which you may all learn something

1) A banner ad for Bridgewater State University:

That's good since the goal of BSU's marketing department isn't to get clicks. Instead, they are striving to make impressions.

It is a fantastic example of banner advertisement content that provokes potential customers' thoughts. This commercial asks, "What does going beyond look like for me?" Suddenly, you get this mental image of myself sitting in the lecture hall. No doubt this advertisement is memorable, even though it's not clicked. There are moments when it is the only thing that counts.

2) An example of a banner ad from Liberty University:

Here is another example from advertising working in higher education; this is successful for unique reasons. To begin, the picture on the left-hand side of the advertisement is one of my favorites since it gives off the impression of a sense of community and of being a component of something far more significant than oneself. One should never underrate the effectiveness of a clear image.

The article's second point is a specific criticism against online colleges: they do not provide the same advantages as conventional universities. Liberty's marketers can alleviate some of the mistrust of potential students by promising them that they would benefit equally from online coursework and on-campus activities.

3) An example of an advertisement banner from AutoZone

Here's an example of a banner ad from AutoZone, which comes from another industry: the automotive aftermarket. A tremendous copywriting technique refers to a particular problem that your product solves; in this example, it's the all-too-relatable situation of your check engine light coming on. Imitating this strategy is a fantastic technique to get the attention of your potential customers.

AutoZone gets extra credit for the effective use of geotargeting in its marketing. They significantly increase the chance of conversion by offering information about a nearby shop, such as its location and the hours during which it is open.

4) Capital One

This Capital One commercial works without a graphic design degree. It is intended to make 5X seem as if it is jumping off the screen. The people responsible for putting up this winning entry are aware, much like the squad from Bridgewater State, that clicks are not the only thing that matters.

Even if you don't click the "Learn More" button — and you have to give them credit for choosing a low-pressure CTA rather than something aggressive like "Sign Up Today" — you'll keep in mind that Capital One provides a savings rate that is five times greater than the average rate offered by other financial institutions in the country. Capital One gets extra credit for linking the picture and content of their advertisements with the basketball season.

5) BBBS banner ad

Big Brothers Big Sisters' banner ad shows how pictures may boost marketing materials' emotional effect. It may appear apparent, but the main reason why this advertisement is successful is that its graphics enable potential adoptees to imagine themselves taking on the role of big brother or big sister.

In other respects, they made an excellent decision in selecting "Start Something" as their CTA. It provides the prospect a genuine feeling of independence, isn't that right? The great advertisement conveys a powerful message with only two words, and those words are: "You can affect change in this world."

6) A banner ad from nCino's website

Anyone who has worked in a highly competitive industry knows how crucial it is to have a firm brand name. The marketing team at nCino achieves just that here with the header content, which proclaims that their product is "the international leader in cloud-based banking software." That is a big statement, and it is statements like these that help the nCino brand image to stay in your memory.

In addition, the call to action button has been put in the ideal location; it captures the attention as soon as you have finished reading the headline material. In addition, the nCino marketing team is aware of the lengthy sales cycle they must contend with, which is why they have opted for a gentler call to action. They could have done better by making the buttons stand out from the backdrop, but we'll let them off the hook.

7) A banner advertisement from Disney+

Bonus points go to Disney+ for delivering a compelling customer value proposition (CTA). You won't forget that Disney+ is running a promotional offer for a free trial even if you don't click on the blue button. You now know where to go the next time you have the urge to participate in an Iron Man marathon.

8) A banner ad from Amazon Web Services (AWS)

There is no reason you shouldn't use a statement to create your brand's authority. If, for instance, the marketing team for AWS simply stated that "AWS is more dependable than the next large cloud provider," then I wouldn't have a problem with that statement at all. The strategy based only on cold, hard statistics is by far the most successful. The AWS team doesn't just want viewers to rely on their word for it; they back up their claim that they are the leaders in their field by citing a precise figure, namely the fact that they had seven times fewer hours of outage in 2018 compared to their nearest competition.

9) DocuSign banner ad

Because of DocuSign, the first example of a banner ad that exemplifies the potential of establishing a curiosity gap is here. It refers to the practice of leveraging your language to build wonder in the minds of your prospects. The question immediately arises after reading the headline: "What are the six underappreciated techniques that bring such tremendous growth?" Reading the ebook is, of course, the only method to get the information you want.

DocuSign's marketers have a firm grasp of the function of display advertising in the context of the sales cycle. Because it is improbable that someone would purchase your goods or service based on a banner advertisement, it is prudent to provide a free sample of some kind (e.g., a free ebook).

10) A Ridge banner advertisement

Certain items will remain fashionable forever. The strategy of comparing two things side by side is Exhibit A. There's a good reason marketers have been using it for the better three decades: It's a straightforward method of making the worth of your offering crystal clear to potential customers. It just takes a microsecond to comprehend what the neighbors on Ridge attempt to convey in their communication. You must update to a thinner and more refined wallet to stay up with the trends.

Ask yourself: Is there a side-by-side comparison picture that you could use instead of this copy? The second option is often the best if the question is answerable in the affirmative.

11) A banner ad from USA Today

Source

The kind folks at USA Today were kind enough to provide marketers with the only sample of a native banner advertisement featured in this collection. Creating a sense of urgency is, of course, the aspect of this advertisement that works the best. It's never a poor decision to let your potential customers know that they just have X more hours to reap the benefits of whatever deal you're running at the time, whether it's a discount, a gift, or something else.

"Go Ad-Free" is a beautiful call to action that serves as the cherry on top of the cake. Why? Because it clarifies for the readers of USA Today just what it is that they will get if they take advantage of this exclusive offer for a short time only. Would it make any difference if the call to action in the advertisement said "Sign Me Up" rather than "Go Ad-Free"? No way. However, concentrating on results is an excellent strategy if you wish to produce powerful banner ad text.

In conclusion, use these sample banner advertisements as a jumping-off point for your next campaign!

As was mentioned before, everyone needs some kind of creative stimulation from time to time. So look at these beautiful illustrations, and let them spark some thoughts in your head before getting started on your campaign, replete with your very own clickable banner advertising!

All designs and trademarks are the property of their respective companies and are being shown for educational purposes only.